Rotary engine.



Patented Nov. 25. I902.

.1. W. LABIMORE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1902.)

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INVENTOR 0 a WITNESSES.-

Patented Nov. 25, I902.

ion filed Max:110, 1902.)

3 Sheets-Sheei 2.

' INVENTOR.

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zApplieat No. 7|4 -,20u."

("9 Model.

.mm m mm UNITED STAT S JOHN W. LARIMORE, OF BATH, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES M. RAHN, ,OF PEKIN, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY, ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,200, dated November 25, 1902.

' Application filed March 10, 1902. Serial No. 97,624. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. LARIMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bath, in the county of Mason and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to engines, and has special reference to an improved engine of the rotary type designed to utilize the advantageous features of an ordinary reciprocating engine, while at the same time obviating the disadvantage of a reciprocating motion of the piston. V I

To this end the invention contemplates a simple and practical form of rotary engine comprising means for utilizing the steam expansively to the greatest possible advantage and with a minimum loss of power.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and effectual means for controlling the motive-agent supply to insure a proper cut-off of the steam at the proper moment, besides making provision for quickly and accurately effecting a reversing of'the engine. In the accomplishment of these results the invention provides a construction in which the separate exhaust-ports of the engine are simultaneously thrown in and out of action,in conjunction with reversing means cooperating with the cut-off valve within the supply chamber or chest for the motive agent.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means operated directly from the en- 5 gine-shaft for actuating the working valves of the engine.

As a general object the invention provides a novel construction of engine in which the rotary motion of the piston is directly .im-

40 parted to the drive-shaft, thus providing for a steady, speedy, and powerful motion with a minimum amount of friction and with greater economy of steam and fuel than is possible with the ordinary types of reciprocating engines. 7

With these and many other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, com- 5o bination, and arrangement of parts to bev base of the said chest.

hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved, particularly in the mechanism for controlling the supply and exhaust of steam as well as for the reversing of the steam circulation, are necessarily susceptible to modification in a structural way without departing from the spirit of the invention; but a preferred embodiment of the improvements is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a perspective View of a rotary engine constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view of the engine with the outer head or cap of the cylinder removed, exposing the rotary piston with the circular piston-chamber. Fig. l is a vertical sectional View on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, the line of section including the exhaust-ports of the cylinder. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a'top plan View of the steam-chest with the cap thereof removed to expose the operative relation between the cut-off and reverse valves arranged in the Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the valve-actuating cam, illustrating the character of cam-groove therein.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention it is of course understood that the working parts of the engine may be mounted upon a suitable base in any approved manner so long as the operative relation of the different working elements is preserved, and as the preferred embodiment of mounting of parts is shown in the drawings, particular reference will now be made thereto.

As shown in the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the main engine-cylinder of circular form and having therein a circular piston-chamber 2, preferably covered at its outer side by an outer head or cap 3, detachably held in place by the bolts or equivalent fastenings l, whereby ready access may be had to the interior of the engine-cylinder for purposes of repair or adjustment. The said en- I00 gine-cylinder 1 is also provided at the lower side thereof with a supporting-base 5, adapted to be mounted upon the main base or bed of the engine; but this is only a structural detail, which may be varied to suit the conditions under which the engine may be em ployed.

The interior of the circular piston-chamber 2 of the engine-cylinder is designed to accommodate therein a circular rotating block or disk 6, arranged concentrically within the chamber 2 and constituting a rotary piston..

The said piston block or disk 6 is secured fast upon a horizontal drive-shaft 7, extending through one or both sides of the enginecylinder and constituting the main shaft of the engine, which receives its power directly from the rotating piston and also directly transmits power to any machinery to be operated. A convenient and practical arrangement of the drive-shaft is shown in the drawings and consists in extending the same beyond one side of the cylinder through asuitable bearing or bearings 8 and mounting thereon at a point away from the cylinder a belt-pulley or equivalent wheel 9 for transmitting motion to the machinery to be operated.

The rotary piston 6 is of a less diameter than the chamber of the interior circular piston-chamber 2 in order to form an intervening steam-space between the wall of the chamber and the periphery of the piston, and the latter is provided upon its periphery with the ofiset piston-wing 10, which is integrally or otherwise rigidly united to the piston block or disk, so as to move in unison therewith. The piston-Wing 10 in effect constitutes a piston-head, the same working in contact with the wall of the piston-chamber and provided at the sides thereof with the impact-faces 11, disposed radially to the axis of the driveshaft 7, thus securing the strongest possible leverage from the pressure of steam exerted thereagainst.

To provide the necessary fixed abutment or surface for-the steam or other motive agent, so as to compel the full pressure thereof to be exerted against the piston-wing 10, there is associated with the latter a slidable retreatingabutment-valve12. Thisabutment-valve 12 is in the form of a fiat plate slidably working in a verticallydisposed guideway 13, formed in a guide-housing 14, provided, preferably, at the upper side of the engine-cylinder and offset laterally therefrom. The vertically-disposed gnideway 13 within the housing 14 serves to completely house as well as guide the abutment-valve l2 and also opens into and extends across the piston-chamber 2, within which works the rotary piston, thus providing means for guiding the abutmentvalve to position transversely across the pisston-chamber 2 at one side of the axis of the rotary piston and also permittingof a retreating or retracting movement of the valve entirely within the piston-chamber. This retreating movement of the abutm'ent-valve provides a perfect clearance for the pistonwing 10 as the same passes the plane of the guideway for the valve.

Various means may be utilized for positively reciprocating the abutment-valve at the proper intervals; but a preferred arrangement is shown in the drawings and consists in having the abutment-valve fast upon the inner end of a reciprocating valve-rod 15, working through one end of the guide-housing 14 and having a fast connection at its outer end, as at 16, to a sliding cross-head 17. This sliding cross-head 17 is preferably arranged in a position above the main driveshaft 7 between the engine-cylinder and the pulley or wheel 9, carried by the shaft. The opposite ends of the said cross-head work in the oppositely-arranged horizontal cross-head guides 18, disposed in parallelism and supported at the upper end of an upright supporting-bracket 19, mounted upon the main engine base or bed. The said cross-head guides 18 may be constructed in any suitable manner, but are preferably of a grooved formation to slidably receive and hold the ends of the cross-head. Preferably at one end the cross-head guides 18 are connected by a transverse brace 20, provided with a central guideopening 21, slidably receiving a supplemental guiding-arm 22, projected from one side of the cross-head. The supplemental guiding arm 22 serves to guide the cross-head in its horizontal sliding movement, while at the same time affording a more extensive base or support for the operating connections between the cross-head and the working valves of the engine.

The sliding cross-head 17 directly coiiperates with a valve-actuator 23, carried directly by the shaft 7. The valve-actuator is preferably in the form of a rotating drum mounted fast on the shaft and provided therein with a peripheral cam-groove 24, receiving therein an engaging pin or equivalent element 25, carried by and rigid with the sliding cross-head. The peripheral cam-groove 24 of the valve-actuating drum 23 is so arranged as to provide for the necessary intermittent movement of the valves operated fromthe cross-head and is provided with a continuous straight portion 26, within which the engaging pin or element 25 remains stationary during the time the abutment-valve 12 is projected across the piston-chamber 2. The said cam-groove of the valve-actuating drum 23 also provides for giving the necessary motion to the sliding cut-0E valve 27, mounted to work within the steam-chest 28, surmounting the engine-cylinder and guide housing 14, as plainly illustrated in the several figures of the drawings. The steam-chest 28 may be constructed in any suitable manner, but is preferably of a conventional form and provided with a detachable cover or top 29 and designed to have connected therewith the live-steam-supply pipe 30, through which the live steam enters the steam-chest.

The floor 31 of the steam-chest 28 constitutes a valveseat upon which slides the cutoff valve 27. This valve is in the form of a fiat plate provided with the separate transversely-alined steam-ports 32 and 33, respectively, and carried at the inner end of a valvestem 34, working through a stoning-box, as at 35, and carrying at its outer end a coupling-pin 36, working in the longitudinal slot 37 of a swinging valve-lever 38. This valvelever 38 is pivotally hung at its upper end, as at 39, from a suitable supporting bracket or arm 40 at the top of the steam-chest, and the lower end of the valve-lever is pivotally connected, as at 41, to one end of an operating-link 42. The other end of this operating-link is pivoted at 43- to a coupling-lug 44, preferably secured fast to the valve-rod 15, so as to be operated directly from the sliding cross-head 17. The connections described constitute a valve motion for operating the sliding cut-off valve 27, whereby the supply of steam may be opened up and cut off from the piston-chamber at the proper intervals to insure the use of the steam expansively.

In conjunction with the sliding cut-01f valve 27 there is employed a shiftable stationary reverse-valve45. Theshiftable reverse-valve 45 is, preferably, in the form of a fiat plate and is seated flush within a guide-recess 46, formed in the valve-seat floor 31 of the steamchest 28 beneath the plane of movement of the cut-off valve 27. The recess 46 is of a greater length than the length of the valve or valve-plate 45 to provide for the necessary adjustment thereof. Said valve or valveplate is provided therein with the separate steam-ports 47 and 48, which are designed to respectively cooperate with the steam-inlet openings or pistons 49 and 50, piercing the wall of the engine-cylinder and communicating with the interior piston-chamber respectively at opposite sides of the vertical plane of the guideway for the abutmentvalve. Also respectively at opposite sides of the vertical plane of the guideway for the abutment-valve the engine-wall is pierced by exhaust-openings 51 and 52, providing communication between the interior piston-chamber and the outer air. Each of the exhaustopenings 51 and 52 intersects a valve-chamber 53, accommodating therein a turning outoff plug 54, provided with a transverse steamport 55, which is designed to be thrown into and out of alinement with the exhaust-opening cooperating therewith.

The turning exhaust-valve plugs have a bearing in the chambers 53 and extend transversely through the wall of the engine at the top thereof; but both of the said valve-plugs are designed to be coupled together for movement in unison, whereby one of the exhaustopenings will be closed simultaneously with the opening up of the other. A simple manner of coupling the exhaust-valve plugs for moving in unison is shown in the drawings, and consists in fitting to the outer ends of the said plugs lever-arms 56 and 57, pivotally united by a connecting-bar 58,wh0se opposite ends are pivoted at 59, respectively, to the separate lever-arms. One of the lever-arms 57 is preferably extended into an operators handle 60, carrying at one side thereof a keeper or equivalent device 61, engaging with a holding-segment 62, secured fast to the engine-body at one side thereof.

One of the exhaust-valve plugs 54 also has fitted to the inner'end thereof, exterior to the engine-cylinder, a setting-cam 63,which turns with the body of the valve-plug to which it is connected, and is provided with spaced oppositely-located tappet-shoulders 64, designed to engage a pin or projection 65, carried upon the outer end portion of an adjusting-stem 66, which is connected with the reverse-valve 45 and extends outwardly from one side of the steam-chest.

With the parts set in the positions indicated in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings the steam is admitted and exhausted in a way to provide for turning the rotary piston to the right. With such an arrangement of parts it will be observed that the port 47 of the reverse-valve is brought into register with the steam-inlet opening 49, so that as the cut-0E valve reciprocates within the steam-chest the port 32 thereof will provide for the admission and cut off of steam to the steam-inlet opening 49. Also with the parts thus arranged the valve in the exhaust-opening 51 is closed, while the valve in the opposite exhaust-opening is open. To reverse the action of the engine, it is simply necessary for the operator to grasp the lever 60 and throw the same in a direction which simultaneously reverses the position of the exhaust-Valves and also shifts the reverse-valve to a position for covering the steam-inlet opening 49 and opening up the steam-inlet opening 50.

For illustrative purposes the invention has only been described in a single form; but it will be obvious that two or more engines of the same construction could be associated with the same drive-shaft should it be desired to provide for an engine of very great power. Also it is likewise obvious that any suitable motive agent under pressure might be utilized for driving the engine.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described rotary engine will be apparent without further description,

and it will also be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

IIO

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a rotary engine, the engine-cylinder, a rotary piston working Within the cylinder, a retreating abutment-valve cooperatin g with the piston, valve mechanism for controlling the supply of motive agent, common means for operating the valve mechanism and said abutment-valve, and reversing mechanism comprisingsimu ltaneously-operated exhaustvalves and a reverse-valve, the latter cooperating with the valve mechanism for controlling the supply of motive agent, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rotary engine, the engine-cylinder, a rotary piston working within the cylinder and having a piston-wing, a slidable retreating abutment-valve cooperating with the piston-Wing, valve mechanism for controlling the motive agent, said valve mechanism including a sliding cut-off valve,comn1on means for operating the valve mechanism and the abutment-valve, suitably-arranged exhaustvalves, a shiftable reverse-valve cooperating with said cut-off Valve, and common means for adjusting the exhaust-valve and said reverse-valve, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rotary engine, the engine-cylinder, the drive-shaft, a rotary piston mounted on the drive-shaft and working in the cylinder, a slidable retreating abutment-valve cooperating with said piston, valve mechanism for controlling the supply of motive agent, a valve-actuating drum mounted on the drive shaft and having a cam-groove, and a reciprocating cross-head having an engaging element cooperating with thegroove of the drum, and operatively connected respectively with the abutment-valve and said valve mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. In arotaryengine,thecylinder,the driveshaft, a rotary piston mounted on the driveshaft and working in the cylinder, a slidable retreating abutment-valve cooperating with the piston, a valve mechanism comprising means for controlling the supply of motive agent, a valve-actuating drum mounted on the drive-shaft and having a peripheral camgroove, aguide-frame having side and end guides, and a reciprocating cross-head having members engaging the said side and end guides of the guide-frame and provided with an engaging element working in the groove of the drum, said cross-head being operatively connected with the abutment-valve and also with the valve mechanism, substantially as set forth.

5. In a rotary engine, the cylinder, a rotary piston working within the cylinder, an abutment-valve cooperating with the piston and havinga reciprocating valve-rod,valve mechanism comprising a slidable cut-off valve having a reciprocating stem, a swinging valve-lever pivotally hung from one end andhaving aslot-and-pin connection with the valve-stem, an operating-link pivotally connected at one end with the said lever, and a suitable actuated reciprocatory cross-head connected with the said operating-link and also with the valve-rod of the abutment-valve, substantially as set forth.

6. In a rotary engine, the engine-cylinder provided at opposite sides of its vertical center with separate sets of steam inlet and exhaust openings, said cylinder being also provided at the top with asteam-chest, exhaustvalves operating in the exhaust-openings, a shiftable reverse-valve having ports cooperating with the steam-inlet openings, a sliding cut-off valve having ports cooperating with those of the reverse-valve, a rotary piston working within the cylinder, a retreating abutment-valve, and means for operating the several valves.

7. In a rotary engine, the engine-cylinder provided at opposite sides of its vertical center with opposite sets of steam inlet and exhaust openings, a rotary piston working within the cylinder, a retreating abutment-valve cooperating Withthe piston, exhaust-valves working in the exhaust-openings, a shiftable reverse-valve having ports cooperating with the steam-inlet openings, a sliding cut-0E valve working transversely across the top of the reverse-valve and having ports cooperating with those in the reverse valve, and means for operating the several valves.

8. In a rotary engine, the engine-cylinder provided with oppositelylocated sets of steam inlet and exhaust openings, a rotary piston, an abutment-valve having a movement in a plane between the opposite sets of steam inlet and exhaust openings, turning valve-plugs working in the exhaust-openings, a shiftable reverse-valve having ports cooperating with the steam-inlet opening, said reverse-valve having an exterior ad justing-stem provided with a projection, a cutoff valve having a slidingmovement transversely on top of the reverse-valve and provided with separate ports cooperating with those in said valve, an operating device coupled to both turning valve-plugs to provide for adjusting the same in unison, and a setting device carried by one of the said turning valve-plugs and having members cooperating with the projection on the adjustingstem of the reverse-valve whereby said reverse-valve is shifted simultaneously with the adjustment of the exhaust-valves.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. LARIMORE.

Witnesses:

FRANKLIN L. VELDE, CARRIE M. HOWARD. 

